Bradley vs Northern Iowa Odds, Lines, and Spread
- The Northern Iowa Panthers look to sweep their two-game series with Bradley when they host the Braves on Monday night
- Panthers tallied a narrow 78-72 win on Sunday over a Braves squad trying to rebound from an extended layoff due to COVID-19
- We’ve got you covered with all the odds and trends ahead of this MVC conference matchup at McLeod Center
The Bradley Braves will be trying to avoid losing three in a row for the first time in two years when they battle the Northern Iowa Panthers on Monday as 2.5-point underdogs. The Braves dropped a 78-72 decision to Northern Iowa in the first of two meetings on consecutive nights.
With Sunday’s win, the Panthers snapped a two-game SU slide, but have yet to record consecutive wins this season.
Bradley Braves vs Northern Iowa Panthers Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bradley Braves | +2.5 (-118) | +116 | O 137.5 (-114) |
| Northern Iowa Panthers | -2.5 (-104) | -136 | U 137.5 (-106) |
Odds taken at FanDuel on Jan. 10th
Braves Fall Short Following Extended Layoff
It proved to be a tough start to the conference schedule for the Braves, who returned to action on Sunday following a layoff lasting almost three weeks. The club saw series with Valparaiso and Loyola-Chicago postponed due to an outbreak of COVID-19, which came on the heels of a heartbreaking 54-53 loss to No. 14 Missouri.
This morning, Bradley men's basketball announced that its weekend series with Loyola-Chicago has been postponed due to positive COVID-19 tests within the program.
Read details on the pause and reaction from Brian Wardle: https://t.co/PVQdQNZo6p pic.twitter.com/Vf9VVVlunz
— Bradley Scout Sports (@ScoutSportsDesk) December 30, 2020
The back-to-back losses to the Tigers and Panthers halt an impressive 14-4 SU run dating back to last February, but defeats in Northern Iowa are nothing new. With Sunday’s defeat as one-point underdogs, the Braves are now 1-15 SU in their past 16 visits to Northern Iowa, and have fallen to 3-2 ATS in their past five.
Nolan, Childs Lead the Attack
Despite the rust, the Braves managed to keep pace with Northern Iowa until late in Sunday’s contest. Junior guard Terry Nolan led the Braves in scoring in his first appearance since undergoing surgery last month to remove his appendix. Nolan went 5-for-9 on 3-point attempts to finish the afternoon with 17, marking the fifth time in six outings he has scored in the double digits.
The silver lining in Bradley's 19-day stretch without a game is that Terry Nolan only missed one contest.
As of yesterday, Brian Wardle said that he will play this weekend at UNI. Sure to be a huge piece for the Braves in #MVCHoops play.
— Larry Larson (@MLBLarry) January 9, 2021
Senior big man Elijah Childs continued to make his presence felt at both ends of the court, scoring 15 points and adding nine rebounds. However, success on the road continues to elude Bradley, which has gone 4-12 SU in their past 16 away contests, and 3-10 SU and 3-9-1 ATS in their past 13 pegged as underdogs on the road by three or fewer points.
Phyfe Swings into Form in NIU Win
For the Panthers, Sunday’s victory lifts them to 2-3 SU in conference play, and 3-7 SU overall, with each of their victories coming on home hardwood. Once again, it was junior big man Austin Phyfe leading the charge, scoring 19 points and 10 rebounds for his second double-double in as many outings.
FINAL: UNI 78, Bradley 72. Panthers improve to 2-3 in the MVC while Bradley is now 0-1 in league play.
Austin Phyfe (18 points, 9 boards), Trae Berhow (15 points), Noah Carter (14 points) and Nate Heise (11 points, 4 steals) highlighted a strong UNI team effort.
— Nick Petaros (@NickPetaros) January 10, 2021
Northern Iowa has been far from an offensive powerhouse, listed at No. 99 in the KenPom rating for adjusted offensive efficiency. However, the Panthers offense has been steady at McLeod Center. The team has averaged 87 points over their three home victories this season, powering a 3-1 run for the OVER, and scored at least 78 points in seven of their past 11 home dates.
Slow Starting Panthers Steady on Home Hardwood
The Panthers are also hoping that the win in their series opener with Bradley signals a turnaround following a slow start. Northern Iowa fell to defeat in eight of 10 contests this season prior to Sunday’s victory, but still sport a spectacular 25-3 SU home record since mid-January 2019.
UNI beats Bradley 78-72. Same 2 teams tomorrow evening, tip-off set for shortly after 7:00. A solid performance at both ends for UNI after 2 single digit losses last weekend at Evansville. #UNIFight #MVCHoops pic.twitter.com/IJb3aR8vJ9
— Josh Betts (@BettsOnSports) January 10, 2021
With Phyfe firing on all cylinders, and the Braves still trying to find their legs following a lengthy Christmas layoff, look for Northern Iowa to extend their domination over Bradley on Monday night.
The Picks: Panthers -2.5 (-104); OVER 137.5 (-114)
Daniel has been writing about sports and sports betting for over 23 years. The seasoned pro has contributed to the likes of Sports Illustrated, Sportsnet, NESN, Bleacher Report, OddsShark, the Globe and Mail, and The Nation magazine.
